EBooks popular at library

Electronic check-ins guarantee no late fee

Published: Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 11:59 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 11:59 a.m.

EBook users are making their presence known at the Henderson County Library, where devices such as the Kindle eReader and the NOOK Simple Touch are changing the way librarians share the written word.

Michele von Boeck, Henderson County instructional librarian, said the devices, such as the Kindle eReader and the NOOK Simple Touch, are changing the way people use the library.

“I see a lot of people holding these devices and coming to us and asking ‘How do I do this?’ ” she said with a laugh. “I personally find it very satisfying to help people, especially the elderly. A lot of them have vision problems, and they can enlarge the text (on the devices), and that’s especially helpful for people who have trouble with their vision, like macular degeneration. It just gives them another option for reading.”

Just about any title a person can find in the library’s hardbound books is also available in an eBook version, von Boeck said. There are 7,000 to 9,000 titles through the N.C. Library’s Digital Library, which is a consortium service of around 30 libraries across the state, she said.

And the local library system is adding more every month.

“I would say on any given day about half of them have holds on them. That’s how popular the service is,” von Boeck said.

The eBooks also are popular because of their ease of use. They are checked back in electronically, so there are never any late fees, the librarian said.

“That’s one of the beauties of the eBook services,” she said. “It’s an any time, any place service. You could download a book at 2 a.m. and read it if you want to.”

Von Boeck said she has noticed that people are downloading eBooks onto smart phones, which tend to be used primarily by young people in their teens and 20s. Older adults, from those in their 30s to people in their 70s and 80s, favor the eBook devices such as a Kindle or iPad.

“They are the ones who are jumping on the bandwagon with eBooks on the smartphones because the teens can’t afford a Kindle or an iPad, but they can afford a smartphone, so there’s some economics involved with who purchases which kind of device,” she said.

The county library offers classes on how to use the library’s eBooks. A schedule can be found on the library’s website at www. henderson.lib.nc.us/ and clicking on the “computer classes” link. Classes are offered throughout the year at each of the county library system’s six branches.

In March, the library will begin checking out eReaders to the public. The NOOK Simple Touch eReader will be available for checkout at any of the library’s branches. Each reader is pre-loaded with 40 books, including fiction, nonfiction, classics and children’s books. Patrons will not be able to upload their own eBooks to the eReaders. Each eReader will be available for one-week checkout.

<p>EBook users are making their presence known at the Henderson County Library, where devices such as the Kindle eReader and the NOOK Simple Touch are changing the way librarians share the written word.</p><p>Michele von Boeck, Henderson County instructional librarian, said the devices, such as the Kindle eReader and the NOOK Simple Touch, are changing the way people use the library.</p><p>“I see a lot of people holding these devices and coming to us and asking 'How do I do this?' ” she said with a laugh. “I personally find it very satisfying to help people, especially the elderly. A lot of them have vision problems, and they can enlarge the text (on the devices), and that's especially helpful for people who have trouble with their vision, like macular degeneration. It just gives them another option for reading.”</p><p>Just about any title a person can find in the library's hardbound books is also available in an eBook version, von Boeck said. There are 7,000 to 9,000 titles through the N.C. Library's Digital Library, which is a consortium service of around 30 libraries across the state, she said. </p><p> And the local library system is adding more every month. </p><p>“I would say on any given day about half of them have holds on them. That's how popular the service is,” von Boeck said. </p><p>The eBooks also are popular because of their ease of use. They are checked back in electronically, so there are never any late fees, the librarian said. </p><p>“That's one of the beauties of the eBook services,” she said. “It's an any time, any place service. You could download a book at 2 a.m. and read it if you want to.” </p><p>Von Boeck said she has noticed that people are downloading eBooks onto smart phones, which tend to be used primarily by young people in their teens and 20s. Older adults, from those in their 30s to people in their 70s and 80s, favor the eBook devices such as a Kindle or iPad. </p><p>“They are the ones who are jumping on the bandwagon with eBooks on the smartphones because the teens can't afford a Kindle or an iPad, but they can afford a smartphone, so there's some economics involved with who purchases which kind of device,” she said. </p><p>The county library offers classes on how to use the library's eBooks. A schedule can be found on the library's website at www. henderson.lib.nc.us/ and clicking on the “computer classes” link. Classes are offered throughout the year at each of the county library system's six branches. </p><p>In March, the library will begin checking out eReaders to the public. The NOOK Simple Touch eReader will be available for checkout at any of the library's branches. Each reader is pre-loaded with 40 books, including fiction, nonfiction, classics and children's books. Patrons will not be able to upload their own eBooks to the eReaders. Each eReader will be available for one-week checkout. </p><p>Reach Kelley at 828-694-7871 or leigh.kelley@blueridgenow.com.</p>